[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RETIREMENT OF SPOKANE COUNTY CLERK TIM FITZGERALD

  (Mr. Baumgartner of Washington was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)
  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Spokane County 
Clerk Tim Fitzgerald on his upcoming retirement after a lifetime 
defined by service.
  Oftentimes, county clerks and other local and government officials 
get overlooked, but they shouldn't be. Having a good county clerk 
matters, and Tim Fitzgerald was a great county clerk.
  Tim served as a vital nexus for the Spokane VET Court and Spokane 
Veterans Forum. By focusing on treatment, VA integration, and peer 
mentorship, he created a program that has graduated over 500 veterans 
and reduced the local veteran recidivism rate to 5 percent. This 
statistic represents real lives transformed and peace restored to 
hundreds of military families.
  Tim Fitzgerald's devotion to duty began long ago. He dedicated three 
decades to the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a colonel after 
crucial leadership deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He brought that 
same elite leadership to county government, earning recognition as 
Washington State's Clerk of the Year in both 2017 and 2022.
  A true gentleman and proud graduate of the Virginia Military 
Institute, Tim embodies the highest traditions of public service.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Tim and 
wishing him and his wife, Tracy, the best in the next chapter of their 
lives.


   Recognizing Ferris High School's Football Head Coach Billy Newman

  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ferris High 
School's football team for naming a new head coach, Billy Newman, and I 
congratulate them on their first win of the season on Friday.
  Billy Newman brings more than two decades of coaching experience and 
strong ties to the Spokane community. I remember him as a standout 
football player for Washington State University, and I appreciated 
Coach Newman when he coached my son in AAU basketball.
  Billy's appointment reflects Ferris High School's commitment to 
strengthening its football program through character development and 
meaningful partnership with students, staff, and the broader community.
  Billy said upon becoming the coach: ``This football program will be 
built on school and community pride. It is an honor to represent our 
school, our families. . . .''

  I wish the Saxons and all the high school football teams of eastern 
Washington success as they take on what looks to be a great football 
season.
  I wish good luck to the players, coaches, and the entire family, and, 
once again, I congratulate Coach Newman and the Ferris boys' football 
team on that first win of the season.


    Honoring Life and Legacy of Dr. Charles ``Charlie'' Robert Wolfe

  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Dr. Charles ``Charlie'' Robert Wolfe, a longtime physician, 
public servant, and member of the Spokane community who passed away on 
September 7 at the grand old age of 94.
  After earning his medical degree from the University of Nebraska, Dr. 
Wolfe served as an Army physician in Okinawa, attaining the rank of 
captain. He and his wife, Patricia, eventually settled in the Spokane 
Valley where he spent three decades caring for patients and 
strengthening the local healthcare system.
  Dr. Wolfe helped establish the first full-time staffing of the Valley 
General Hospital emergency department and wrote Washington State's 
first emergency services manual. He later became a founding partner of 
Occupational Medicine Associates and served as a physician for Kaiser 
Aluminum.
  His commitment to service extended beyond medicine. Charlie served in 
the Washington State House of Representatives, was a delegate to the 
Republican National Convention that nominated Ronald Reagan, and 
devoted years to causes including the Union Gospel Mission and 
Christian education.
  I extend my condolences to the family, and I join all of Congress in 
celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Charles Robert Wolfe. God bless 
you.

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